


The Art of Naming Heirs

by Relvetica



Category: Final Fantasy IV
Genre: F/M, Gen, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-13
Updated: 2013-05-13
Packaged: 2017-12-11 19:43:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/802481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Relvetica/pseuds/Relvetica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ugh, babies, needing NAMES and stuff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Art of Naming Heirs

"Well, if it's a girl we're naming her after my mother," Rosa said.

Cecil turned onto his side and draped an arm carefully around the lower curve of her belly. "Aren't you named after your mother?"

"Well, my middle name. That doesn't really count."

"That's naming her after you, then."

She smacked his shoulder lightly with backs of her fingers. "If it's a girl we're naming her after my mother, and that's that."

"I'm not arguing." He pausing, musing it over. "Joanna. It's pretty."

Rosa grunted. "Thanks."

He kissed her jaw and murmured, "I always thought it was pretty."

She was quiet, and he closed his eyes. Predictably, that made her squirm and say, "Don't fall asleep with your arm on me like that, it makes me need the bathroom."

He sighed and tried to reposition himself comfortably, but her condition was making that increasingly difficult. He ended up just resting his hand on her belly, and she clutched it and held it there. "And if it's a boy?" she asked.

"...Hm?"

"Stop falling asleep, this is important."

He cracked an eye open. "Why do you always want to talk about important things in the middle of the night."

"Cecil," she said, using her best patient voice, "what if it's a boy?"

He was quiet for a long time -- he glanced up to make eye contact and show her that he wasn't asleep -- and he finally said, "Well, I don't think the world needs any more Prince Edwards."

She smiled. "Should we name him after you?"

He blinked. "Me?"

"Yes, you, Your Majesty. Cecil the Second?"

"I..." He trailed off for a moment, frowning. "I don't think so."

"No?"

"It would be..." Presumptuous, tantamount to declaring intentions to found a dynasty. A terrible idea. "It would be confusing."

"I see." She stroked the back of his hand, tracing the bones with her fingertips.

"You can't even get a good nickname out of it."

"It should be a family name, though."

"Should it?"

"I think so. Either way. That's how this works." Rosa turned to him a little. "What was your father's name again?"

Cecil raised an eyebrow. "Kluya?"

She hesitated before she said, "Maybe you could... modify it."

"I don't think it would translate well."

"I guess not." They fell into what was probably an easy silence, but Cecil found himself swallowing back an anxiety he couldn't name. His pool of male relatives was a small one. A child shouldn't be named after someone casually; especially a first child. A superstitious heart that he never would have given voice to told him that the wrong name, the wrong associations, could be more of a curse on a son than a blessing. And any curse placed on his child would be a curse on the country as a whole.

"Don't fall asleep," Rosa whispered.

Curses were tricky things, though. His fingers curled on her belly. Whatever happens, he thought, you'll never be alone. I promise you that. You won't suffer my legacy. "I won't," he said.


End file.
